Redshirt junior quarterback Jacoby Brissett looks for an open receiver during the Kay Yow Spring Football game in Carter-Finley Stadium Saturday. " />
John Joyner/Technician
Redshirt junior quarterback Jacoby Brissett looks for an open receiver during the Kay Yow Spring Football game in Carter-Finley Stadium Saturday.
N.C. State fans and former stars gathered at Carter-Finley Stadium Saturday for the annual Kay Yow Spring Game. Redshirt junior quarterback Jacoby Brissett stole the show, leading his Red Team to a 34-0 victory over the White Team.
While showing support for the State team, attendees also donated a total of $15,351 toward cancer research through the Kay Yow Cancer Fund.
Brissett showed poise and command of the offense, going 24-for-37 for 365 yards and two touchdowns, both of which were caught by senior wide receiver Bryan Underwood. Head coach Dave Doeren said he was pleased with the throws Brissett made and was glad to see Underwood get some looks, as well.
“It was good to see Underwood get a couple of big plays for us,” Doeren said. “I thought, for the most part, Jacoby did some good things.”
Brissett appeared to have found a favorite target in freshman wide receiver Bo Hines. Hines brought down 10 catches on the day, tallying 132 yards. Doeren said he was pleased, but not surprised, by the early enrollee’s production.
“As I have been saying all spring, Bo Hines is a very reliable player,” Doeren said. “He made some plays early.”
Brissett and Hines teamed up to lead the Red Team’s offense to 13-of-18 on third down conversions and a perfect three-for-three on red zone opportunities. They moved the ball at will; nothing but the clock and referees could keep the Red Team from scoring. Brissett said he and Hines had been building a connection throughout the spring.
“I like [Hines] a lot,” Brissett said. “When he catches the ball, he makes plays. We have a long way to go, but overall he has really been stepping up.”
The rushing attack seemed to be an afterthought of both offenses, as the teams would often line up in four- and five-wide receiver sets in order to spread out the defense for a chance at a big play through the air.
Though senior running back Tony Creecy was able to score two rushing touchdowns on the day, both teams barely managed more than 100 rushing yards combined. Doeren said he encouraged both teams to opt for an air attack.
“Offensively we were able to throw the ball around,” Doeren said. “I wanted to see what our receivers would do today.”
Though Red Team’s offense was on fire all day, its defense also showed up in a big way, keeping the White Team on its back and off the board. Junior defensive end Mike Rose had a monster day, recording six tackles, one sack and 3.5 tackles for loss. Senior defensive end Art Norman said the performance came from just doing what they were coached to do.
“I could get into it, this formation and that formation,” Norman said. “But basically [we were] just flying around and doing what we were coached to do.”
The Red Team’s defense allowed only 121 yards of total offense on the day. The White Team was consistently shut down on third down going two-for-12 and failed to enter the red zone.
Following the first quarter of play, Super Bowl-champion quarterback Russell Wilson was honored for his stellar career as a part of the Wolfpack. Wilson’s jersey was retired and placed among the many greats on Carter-Finley’s façade. The returning players, such as Wilson, linebacker Nate Irving and defensive end Mario Williams, were given a warm welcome by the N.C. State community.
“I appreciate the effort the current alumni made and the current NFL players coming back,” Doeren said. “It meant a lot to me as a coach and to our players.”
The spring game marks the end of the spring for the Pack, as it awaits the start of fall camp and prepares for its 2014 season opener against Georgia Southern on Aug. 30.